[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5544-5546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02951]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0137]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of applications for exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 30 individuals 
for an exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor 
vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would 
enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0135 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and the 
docket number(s) for this notice. Note that all comments received will 
be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below 
for further information.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or Room W12-140 
on the ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The FDMS is available 24 hours each day, 365 
days each year. If you want acknowledgment that we received your 
comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard 
or print the acknowledgement page that appears after submitting 
comments online.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in 
the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed 
at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, 
Medical Programs Division, (202) 366-4001, [email protected], FMCSA, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64-224, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions 
regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket 
Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the FMCSRs for a five-year period if it finds ``such exemption 
would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater 
than the level that would be achieved absent such exemption.'' The 
statute also allows the Agency to renew exemptions at the end of the 
five-year period. FMCSA grants exemptions from the FMCSRs for a two-
year period to align with the maximum duration of a driver's medical 
certification.
    The 30 individuals listed in this notice have requested an 
exemption from the hearing requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11). 
Accordingly, the Agency will evaluate the qualifications of each 
applicant to determine whether granting the exemption will achieve the 
required level of safety mandated by statute.
    The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding hearing 
found in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a

[[Page 5545]]

CMV if that person first perceives a forced whispered voice in the 
better ear at not less than 5 feet with or without the use of a hearing 
aid or, if tested by use of an audiometric device, does not have an 
average hearing loss in the better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 
Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid when the 
audiometric device is calibrated to American National Standard 
(formerly ASA Standard) Z24.5--1951.
    This standard was adopted in 1970 and was revised in 1971 to allow 
drivers to be qualified under this standard while wearing a hearing 
aid, 35 FR 6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 12857 (July 3, 1971).
    On February 1, 2013, FMCSA announced in a Notice of Final 
Disposition titled, Qualification of Drivers; Application for 
Exemptions; National Association of the Deaf, (78 FR 7479), its 
decision to grant requests from 30 individuals for exemptions from the 
Agency's physical qualification standard concerning hearing for 
interstate CMV drivers. Since the February 1, 2013 notice, the Agency 
has published additional notices granting requests from hard of hearing 
and deaf individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical 
qualification standard concerning hearing for interstate CMV drivers.

II. Qualifications of Applicants

Maurice N. Abenchuchan

    Mr. Abenchuchan, age 61, holds an operator's license in Florida.

Gary Abendroth

    Mr. Abendroth, age 43, holds an operator's license in Wisconsin.

Ronnie R. Adkins

    Mr. Adkins, age 62, holds a class A CDL in Missouri.

Brigit Anne Alm

    Ms. Alm, age 63, holds an operator's license in Wisconsin.

Prince K. Bempong

    Mr. Bempong, age 30, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Kenneth Bilodeau

    Mr. Bilodeau, age 38, holds an operator's license in Texas.

William B. Britt

    Mr. Britt, age 47, holds an operator's license in Tennessee.

James A. Bryan

    Mr. Bryan, age 35, holds an operator's license in Arkansas.

Shawn R. Carico

    Mr. Carico, age 23, holds an operator's license in Tennessee.

Gillia J. Cobb

    Mr. Cobb, age 32, holds an operator's license in California.

Perry Lynn Cobb

    Mr. Cobb, age 43, holds an operator's license in Tennessee.

George P. Cuadera

    Mr. Cuaderr, age 42, holds an operator's license in Maryland.

Donte Darrington

    Mr. Darrington, age 27, holds an operator's license in Missouri.

Kevin A. Dent

    Mr. Dent, age 38, holds an operator's license in Mississippi.

Thomas Garro

    Mr. Garro, age 72, holds an operator's license in Arizona.

John L. Gonzagowski

    Mr. Gonzagowski, age 81, holds a class A CDL in Missouri.

Marc Graham

    Mr. Graham, age 40, holds an operator's letter in California.

Jacob D. Hamilton

    Mr. Hamilton, age 30, holds an operator's license in Indiana.

Robert R. Hefner

    Mr. Hefner, age 40, holds a class A CDL in South Carolina.

Dwayne Johnson

    Mr. Johnson, age 26, holds an operator's license in Illinois.

Marina S. Hernandez

    Ms. Hernandez, age 55, holds an operator's license in New Jersey.

Patrick L. Johnson

    Mr. Johnson, age 31, holds an operator's license in Michigan.

Justin Kilgore

    Mr. Kilgore, age 37, holds a class A CDL in Iowa.

Lawrence Hung K. Lam

    Mr. Lam, age 38, holds on operator's license in California.

John N. McKee

    Mr. McKee, age 59, holds a class A CDL in Iowa.

John Rhoades

    Mr. Roades, age 53, holds an operator's license in Idaho.

Darryl Rutland

    Mr. Rutland, age 54, holds an operator's license in California.

Phillip Shook Jr.

    Mr. Shook, age 53, holds an operator's license in Mississippi.

Shana Williamson

    Ms. Williamson, age 52, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Carl E. Wood

    Mr. Wood, age 77, holds a class A CDL in Louisiana.

III. Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA requests 
public comment from all interested persons on the exemption petitions 
described in this notice. We will consider all comments received before 
the close of business on the closing date indicated in the dates 
section of the notice.

IV. Submitting Comments

    You may submit your comments and material online or by fax, mail, 
or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. FMCSA 
recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an email 
address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that FMCSA 
can contact you if there are questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
in the search box insert the docket number FMCSA-2018-0137 and click 
the search button. When the new screen appears, click on the blue 
``Comment Now!'' button on the right hand side of the page. On the new 
page, enter information required including the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. If you submit your comments by mail or 
hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ 
by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit 
comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the facility, 
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    We will consider all comments and materials received during the 
comment period. FMCSA may issue a final determination any time after 
the close of the comment period.

V. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble, go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the search box insert 
the docket number

[[Page 5546]]

FMCSA-2018-0137 and click ``Search.'' Next, click ``Open Docket 
Folder'' and you will find all documents and comments related to this 
notice.

    Issued on: February 13, 2019.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019-02951 Filed 2-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P